“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
Matthew 6:16a
Jesus assumes people
We cannot understand what scripture means to us today without first knowing what it meant to the original audience then.
3 Important Contexts on Fasting
Old Testament What
New Testament What is
Us What does Jesus want to say to us
Context #1: What are
Repentance ( Daniel 9:3-4a )
Intercession (Ezra 8:21,23)
Guidance (Judges 20:26-28)
Mourning (2 Samuel 1:12)
Context #2: What is Jesus saying in the
“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 6:16-18
Don’t look like hypocrites trying to get
Why? That’s the only reward you’ll
Do approach your spiritual habits for an audience of
Why? That’s the only reward you really
Don’t look like hypocrites trying to get applause for your spiritual habits.
Side Note: Jesus doesn’t just assume we fast, he also assumes we’ll get it
Do approach your spiritual habits for an audience of One…
Check your
Check your
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8
Do spiritual disciplines from a place of love, not for love.
In today’s culture the greater danger is not that we’ll fast with wrong motives but that we’ll ignore fasting altogether.
Context #3: Why does Jesus instruct us to fast
Relationship with God: Fasting helps us practice
We cannot behave “on the spot” as Jesus did and taught if in the rest of our time we live as everybody else does. – Dallas Willard
Fasting is going without food for a set amount of time to awaken our body and soul to our deep hunger and need for God. – John Mark Comer, Practicing the Way
But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”
John 4:32
“Fasting reminds us we are sustained. Food does not sustain us. God does.” Richard Foster.
You cannot depend on God in the middle of real-life moments if you do not practice depending on God in private moments.
Relationship with Ourselves: Fasting helps us manage our
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
Galatians 5:16-17
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Galatians 5:24-25
“The world says satisfy every human appetite. God says check your appetite.” – Richard Foster
Relationship with Others: Fasting helps us carry
They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”
When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.
Nehemiah 1:3-4
Fasting is a way of
“The motive behind all true intercessory prayer is love for the other. Jesus isn’t describing some real-life version of wishes to a cosmic genie that occasionally come true if you figure out the formula. He’s talking about the kind of prayers that start with love for someone else and end with inviting God’s activity into places where love is lacking” – Tyler Staton
The king said to me, “What is it you want?”
Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”
Nehemiah 2:4-5
Genuine fasting leads to
Where do you desire to see God move in your life?
Preston Trail Challenge: Fast once a week for the next month.
Additional Notes: